Technical Abstract:
Barley, Hordeum vulgare L., is particularly well suited for investigating patterns in monocot development. The recent release of the 22K Affymetrix Barley1 GeneChip probe array provides the opportunity to examine gene expression throughout the life cycle of a major cereal crop. In order to provide a reference data set for future investigations and hypothesis testing, transcriptional profiles of ca 22,700 barley genes were examined for 8 developmental stages and 15 tissue types in three independent replications. Additionally, identification of immediate genetic targets and tissue-specific studies for functions of unknown genes is also addressed. The implications of experimental design, technical procedures and the methodology of the data analysis will be discussed.